


A Sharp Left-Hand Turn

by elrhiarhodan



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Infidelity, M/M, Masturbation, self-delusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 01:57:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3878020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elrhiarhodan/pseuds/elrhiarhodan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony keeps trying to convince himself that everything's all right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sharp Left-Hand Turn

"So, any chance of you getting on a plane and coming to New York for the weekend?" Tony hated the pleading note in his voice. Billionaire playboy philanthropists didn't beg.

"Sorry, Tony – but no. I have way too many commitments – and before you suggest putting on a suit and flying out here, don't. The annual shareholders' meeting is on Wednesday and it's probably a good idea if you …" Pepper's voice trailed off and she bit her lip. A deep red flush stained her cheeks as she realized what she was about to say.

"Stayed away. Yeah, I get it. It's okay." Tony grinned to show he didn't take offense. And truthfully, he didn't. He knew he was pretty much poison when it came to the business of business for SI. The big shareholders – the mutual funds and not-so-politically correct institutions still hadn't forgiven him for taking SI out of the war-mongering business. And the little guys – they had their own issues.

"You doing okay?" Pepper's concern was sweet and genuine. Of course it was; she loved him.

"I'm all right. Couldn't be better."

"You're a lying shit, Tony Stark." Pepper also didn't pull her punches.

"I know." 

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." Tony scratched at his chest and stopped. He was still occasionally startled to finding living flesh where the arc reactor used to be.

"Get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah, Pep, I will. You knock 'em dead. And I don't mean that literally."

Pepper smiled and blew him a kiss before disconnecting. Tony waved his hand and the empty glowing block vanished. _Technology was wonderful, until it tried to kill you._

He loved Pepper, but it was becoming clearer every day that they were never going to have a life together. Tony had _mostly_ fixed her little Extremis problem; she didn't burst into flames anymore and pretty much had complete control over her talents, except that the last time they'd had sex, they'd set the bed on fire.

Literally.

He tried to reassure her that it didn't matter, that he wasn't hurt (the singed pubic hair would grow back and little-ish Tony was just fine), and SI probably owned a mattress factory or two. After all – he'd made a career out of high-risk sexual encounters. Pepper didn't want to listen, she didn't want to be mollified or reassured or coddled. She made it clear that until she had better control, they weren't sharing a bedroom.

There was something else there, too. Something in her voice when they talked about the Avengers. About Bruce. Never about Clint or Thor or, heaven forbid, Natasha. She actually sounded jealous.

Tony could understand a little bit of jealousy when it came to Bruce. They'd been like co-joined twins since he came back to New York permanently. When they weren't on a mission or he wasn't training with the rest of the team, it was sometimes hard to tell where his thoughts stopped and Bruce's began. But Bruce wasn't interested in him like that, and despite his well-earned title of "playboy", he didn't pursue – man or woman – where there was clearly no hope of success. 

Not that he would, even if Bruce would be receptive. Tony loved Pepper and Pepper deserved nothing less than absolute fidelity.

But sometimes, just sometimes, he slipped. Not physically – but emotionally. Psychologically. Sometimes, he was like Jimmy Carter and he lusted in his heart.

Because sometimes he jerked to the image of Steve Rogers. 

He might tease Cap about his occasionally prudish behavior, but the man seemed to have no shame when it came to striping down to the skin. Tony supposed that all those years in the Army; living in barracks and then on the edges of the battlefield probably did a good job of erasing any hang ups about nudity. Steve didn't seem to think twice about going down to his skivvies on a hot day and that sometimes drove Tony a little nuts.

He'd get obnoxious and call Steve "Capsicle", a name he knew he hated, and Steve would start to act like there was a telephone pole up his ass. But at least he'd put some clothes on and Tony was grateful he didn't pop wood in front of that living legend.

But at night, alone in his bed, he'd close his eyes and instead of summoning up an image of Pepper – naked and clearly wanting everything he could give her – his brain took a sharp left-hand turn and all he could see was Captain America. 

Sweaty, nearly naked Captain America (somehow, those boxer briefs clinging to his very impressive unit was hotter than a fully naked Captain America).

In his bedroom, alone with nothing more than his hand and a bottle of artisanal lube (it didn't stain the sheets), Tony Stark jerked off to the mental image of Captain America and every dirty thing he'd do to the man.

And when he finished, Tony told himself a lie – because he loved Pepper and missed her beyond words. He told himself that it was simple biology, a response to a certain visual stimulus and nothing more. 

He told himself that dreaming about Steve Rogers meant nothing.

__

FIN


End file.
